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Personalisation, fewer ads and the goals for live sport streaming

Verizon Media finds "huge opportunity" for live sports

When it comes to streaming live sports, consumers are seeking greater personalisation and fewer adverts, according to Verizon Media.

A survey of 5,000 sports fans in the US, UK, France, Germany and the Netherlands revealed that almost two thirds (63 per cent) would increase payment for a live sports streaming service if it offered coverage of a sports league or team that interests them.

Approximately one in three sports fans are also looking for more control over the live experience, seeking access to replay controls like slow motion (35 per cent), the ability to switch between camera angles (30 per cent) and the option to skip ads (30 per cent).

Meanwhile, 86 per cent said they expect streaming services to offer a different ad experience, with over half (54 per cent) wanting fewer adverts and around a third (29 per cent) calling for more personalised advertising.

The report also revealed:

  • Fans enjoy the flexibility of streaming, with 39 per cent using a service because it allows them to watch on their smartphone, and 32 per cent opting to stream live sports in 4K UHD
  • Over a third (37 per cent) of sports fans have cancelled a live streaming subscription, with almost half (45 per cent) citing cost as the primary reason
  • Asked to choose between 4K UHD or improved latencies, two-thirds of respondents (66 per cent) would choose picture quality versus a third (34 per cent) for latency

“There is a huge opportunity for content providers to reshape the entire landscape of live sports by offering more choice and deeper coverage of specific teams,” said Verizon Media CPO Ariff Sidi. “There is the potential to build global audiences around niche sports and leagues that don’t currently get enough airtime, but to do so they must employ the latest and most flexible technology resources.

“The industry talks a lot about streaming services being ‘TV-like’ but sports fans actually want a different experience that puts them in total control,” he added. “Streaming services are much more capable of innovating because they have the luxury of using advanced technology that can serve every consumer need from day one. Live sports streaming services can emulate the best aspects of traditional television while bringing totally unique immersive experiences to fans.”